TrendForce is predicting that shipments of tablets will fall by 14.9 percent this year to 163 million units, as once-popular 7-inch mini-tablets are displaced by 6-inch smartphones or phablets. But it's not all bad news. TrendForce is also predicting that shipments of large tablets such as Microsoft's Surface Pro range and Apple's forthcoming 12.9-inch iPad Pro will grow as usage extends from entertainment to business, from content consumption to creation.

IDC also said that Windows' market share grew by 59.5 percent to 17.7 million units. It added: "IDC expects the share of larger screen (>10") tablets and 2-in-1's will grow from 18.6 percent in 2014 to 39.5 percent in 2019, fuelled by the impact of phablets and a growing commercial appetite for productivity solutions."